Red-faced England lose India tour match

Promising fast bowler Munaf Patel grabbed five wickets in each innings as England crashed to an embarrassing eight-wicket defeat on Saturday, ahead of the first Test against India.

The tourists were skittled out for 158 in their second innings by the Indian Board President's XI, who scored the 55 runs needed for victory for the loss of two wickets in the last hour of the three-day match in Vadodara.

England's unexpected loss came just four days before the first of three back-to-back Tests against India begins in Nagpur on Wednesday.

Patel, a 24-year-old right-arm paceman who was overlooked for the Nagpur Test, reminded the selectors of his growing potential with figures of 5 for 59 and 5 for 32 in the match.

Having scalped opener Andrew Strauss on Friday evening, Patel dismissed danger man Andrew Flintoff for 2 and polished off the last three wickets without conceding a run.

England, afflicted by injuries to key players including captain Michael Vaughan, made just 238 and 158 on the easy-paced wicket against India's second-string bowlers.

And to make matters worse, opener Marcus Trescothick will return home immediately for personal reasons, coach Duncan Fletcher said.

"He is going home due to personal reasons. Please don't ask more about it," he said.